


Unilateral Deference

by Rrismo



Category: Better Call Saul (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dubious Consent, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-04
Updated: 2020-02-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22559563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rrismo/pseuds/Rrismo
Summary: Takes place at the time of s3e6, after the bar hearing.“Chuck, what the hell-”, Howard blurted out. A pair of hands pressed against his chest and pinned him to the wall. Before he knew it, Chuck’s mouth was on his, tight, urgent, furiously frustrated.
Relationships: Howard Hamlin/Chuck McGill
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	Unilateral Deference

The smooth wooden case in his hands smelled faintly of smoke. Howard tried to ignore the way the stairs underneath him felt. Part of him thought about the fabric of his trousers, how uncomfortable he was letting it touch the coarse surface he was sitting on. The bigger part of him felt unusually indifferent about the matter. If he wasn’t able to convince Chuck to back down, a battered pair of expensive pants would be the least of his problems.

But Howard Hamlin wasn’t known for backing down easily. There was still hope that Chuck would get better, both concerning his health and his setting of priorities. And Howard knew they’d see to it that HHM flourished under their joined leadership. He’d make Chuck see things his way. If not… well. Howard would have to find a different way to deal with him. One way or another, Howard couldn’t allow Chuck to continue compromising HHM’s image as he had done for the past few weeks.

The sound of the door behind him opening made him turn around. Immediately, he lifted the Macallan up for Chuck to see. A sign of comfort, an olive branch. A voucher he wasn’t here as Chuck's partner at law, but as his friend.

Chuck gestured for him to come in and Howard hurried to his feet. He followed Chuck inside the darkness and eerie quiet of the house.

Howard had barely set a foot inside and put down the wooden case on the kitchen counter, when Chuck grabbed him by the arms and pushed him towards the living room. Howard lost his balance, making it easy for Chuck to shove him against the wall. They struggled for a moment, Chuck tearing Howard’s suit jacket open with surprising force, sending one of the buttons flying.

“Chuck, what the hell-”, Howard blurted out. A pair of hands pressed against his chest and pinned him to the wall. Before he knew it, Chuck’s mouth was on his, tight, urgent, furiously frustrated. Chuck’s teeth scraped his lips, and Howard felt his own body go stiff and passive. He felt the heat of Chuck’s palms through his shirt as they pushed over his chest, his sides and crumpled the fabric at his back. Howard winced into the kiss.

He could have easily freed himself.

If it had been any other man, Howard would have pushed back against these caresses. He would have lined the other's jaw with firm kisses and let his teeth trail down his neck. He would’ve pulled the other man’s hips close by the belt loops, seized his ass with both hands and ground against him. He would have shown him what he wanted, what he needed, what he expected. But first, Howard would have gotten rid off his suit. 

But this was Chuck. And Howard felt weirdly young. Not young as in virile and overflowing with emotions. Young as in reluctant, helpless, overwhelmed. 

That's because it’s been so long since we’ve done this, Howard told himself. For some reason he felt his mind drifting off. It was better than to stay with Chuck and the way his tongue pried open his teeth.

Howard wasn’t really here anyway. It had never felt like Chuck had been kissing him in the first place. Ever since they had first started this… whatever it was, over twenty years ago. There was a time when Howard had assumed they were lovers. The admiration Howard had for Chuck filling his chest like a balloon about to burst when he was pressed against the table where Chuck went over case reviews with him, getting kissed deeply by the man he admired almost as much as his father. Howard had been in his mid-twenties, and of course he wanted Chuck to want him. Chuck was an attractive man - intelligent, powerful, a living monument to what a lawyer could be. Every person in every room listened to him, no matter how important or influential, staring at him spellbound by his words. Everyone wanted to be his friend, his partner, someone he deemed worthy of his attention.

And when he had chosen to give it to Howard, what more could he have asked for? Even if Chuck looked through Howard like stained glass.

Dear god, he had forgotten all about it.

Chuck had been a firm but fair teacher, praising him for accomplishments, kissing him softer and kneading the back of his neck with warm and gentle hands - and dealing out punishment for mistakes, being cold towards him for days, making him kneel on the ground, forcing him to stain his new suits-  It was for the best.  Chuck had been pushing him hard, so hard that sometimes Howard had trouble sleeping at night, but only because Chuck had known that Howard could do better. There was no way Howard could have been the man he was today without Chuck challenging him to be the best version of himself, the only version that could run a company the size of HHM.

His father must’ve known about it, Howard was sure, but they’d never lost a single word about it. After all, appearances were key in this business.

At some point, Chuck’s advances had ceased. Howard must have had pushed them into the back of his mind rather quickly. He’d had a career to focus on. 

Chuck grabbed his tie with both hands, to pull it close around Howard’s neck - or worse: to tear it open with one rough yank. Howard was immediately pulled back into the present. He grabbed Chuck’s wrists until they became limp, then pushed them back down, inviting Chuck’s hands to linger on his ass instead.

Ironically, that was what made Chuck still. They stood in silence, with the exception of their slightly labored breathing between them, the dim light of the lantern on the coffee table barely reaching them. And for the first time since he had arrived, Howard felt like Chuck was actually looking at him.

“Chuck, I understand you are frustrated”, Howard said in a friendly, but sharp tone.

Chuck only huffed as a response and immediately pulled away from Howard. Without a word, he sat down on the couch, obviously not caring whether Howard joined him or not.

Two feet away, Howard spotted the button that had popped off his suit jacket lying on the ground. He picked it up, held it in the palm of his hand to regard it for a moment, pressing his mouth into a tight line.

"Howard", came the impatient voice from the living room couch.

He pocketed the button, straightened his features and pulled his suit back into shape.


End file.
